The 1914 Model T Ford style year has created a good amount of confusion.
There are many 1914s around that are called 1913 and the
owners can prove that the car was, indeed, made in 1913. Further, the
1914 style was built at some of the branches in calendar 1915, and
apparently at the same time that the new 1915 cars were being built
at Highland Park. There is some evidence that the 1914 cars were built, at some
of the branches, as late as March or April of 1915.

The facts are that the 1914 style began in later 1913, perhaps as early as
August, at the Highland Park plant. Ford issued a letter on July 28, 1913,
announcing, 1914 prices effective August 1, 1913: Touring, $550; Runabout,
$500; Town Car, $750. The letter does not indicate a new
style, however.

The 1913 Touring body had been somewhat of a disaster. The rear section was a
separate unit, supported only by the wooden body sill initially. Early versions
were so weak that a reinforcing bracket was made to couple the front and rear
sections. Later the sill was made of heavier material, and an additional body
bracket was added at the front of the rear seat section. These cars came with
and without the reinforcing bracket (which was supplied by Ford as a repair
part). It is quite likely that Ford came up with the modified body with the
sheet metal coupling the two sections, typical of the 1914 through 1925 bodies,
before September 1913.

In any event, the 1914 style differed mainly from the 1913 in that the doors
no longer extended to the splash apron, but now had rounded bottoms and were set
into the sides of the body, a characteristic of Ford bodies for years to come.
The 1914 style, then, is this rounded door body coupled
with the wooden firewall/sloping windshield style of the 1913 cars.

The 1914 style year was a time of Fords greatest changes. The moving final
assembly line, the Five Dollar Day, the $50 Rebate, and Fords first 300,000
unit production record all occurred during this period. And, of course, the car
itself evolved considerably.

Perhaps the second most noticeable change in the car was the new but similar
windshield. The 1913 type could be folded down but it folded forward towards the
front of the car. This arrangement made it difficult, if not dangerous, to fold
or unfold the windshield while driving. For 1914 the windshield was made to fold
to the rear, or towards the driver, and this operation could be done while
driving. In order for the windshield to fold back, the windshield support
brackets were given a bend to clear the windshield frame when it was
folded.

The fenders continued in the 1913 style initially, but during the year they
were modified to now include a reinforcing rib across the widest section of the
front fender. Still later, the bill on the front fenders, dropped
for the 1913 models (in 1912), was reinstated, and continued until the
introduction of the 1917 models in August 1916. Still later, the triangular
beading was added to the apron area of the front fender. That about does it for
the major visible differences between a 1913 and a 1914.

Invisible changes were many, though. Typical of Ford, nothing was
done all at one time. For example, the wooden coil boxes used since 1909 (in the
Model T) were discontinued in favor of a metal box during the 1913 model year.
Early 1914 style cars used the metal boxes but they were supplied by outside
makers. During 1914 Ford began making its own boxes and coils, so a
1914 may have either type.

The so-called two-piece driveshaft was dropped during the 1913
style year. Early 1914s used the two-piece type while the later ones used the
one-piece style. (It is likely that some 1913s may have used the newer type as
well.)

Speedometers, standard equipment on the Model T since early 1909, were
discontinued, for a short time at least, because of a shortage in supply.
According to a letter dated November 4, 1913, a $6.00 allowance was to be made
in the price of the car when there was no speedometer installed.

Fords increasing sales resulted in a reduction of prices. On August 1, 1914,
the following prices were announced: Touring, $490; Runabout, $440; Town Car,
$690. These prices did not include a possible $40 to $60 rebate, pending on the
sale of 300,000 cars by August 1915.

The engine casting was modified somewhat during the 1913-1914 period. The
first 1913 cars used an engine almost identical to the 1912 cars. The major
characteristics of this engine were the lip at the rear of the
cylinder casting, and the screw-in pipe plugs in the water jacket on the right
side. During 1913, and probably appearing in the 1913 style year, the lip was
eliminated but the pipe plugs continued. Still later, and typical of most 1914
cars, the pipe plugs were replaced with pressed-in welch plugs.

There were, of course, many variations in the engine castings. It is quite
possible that all three types of engines were built at the same time, with the
older designs being phased out as new casting cores were made.

Transmission covers were of aluminum, as they had been since 1909. During the
1913 model year, reinforcing ribs had been cast into the cover around the bolt
holes at the flywheel housing in an effort to strengthen the casting. It had
been quite easy to crack the cover when tightening the bolts after changing the
transmission bands, and these reinforcements made it a bit stronger.
Transmission cover doors were flat steel. Foot pedals continued with the
lettered design, to be replaced with a ribbed pattern in early 1915.

Carburetors were either Holley or Kingston. Early production 1914 cars may
have come with the Holley Model S (2-screw) but the most common Holley was the
Model G, a similar design but with the cover secured with three screws. The
Kingston carburetor was the four-ball Model Y. It is possible that
the Kingston Model L appeared in 1914 cars in the later production. Intake
manifolds were aluminum in early production but the typical 1914 engine used a
cast-iron intake manifold of almost identical design.

Late in the 1914 model year the magneto was enlarged and the magnets were now
3/4 thick. This change began with 572,437 on September 4, 1914, and by October
(after 598,041) all engines had the new magneto. The new magneto was needed to
supply power for the electric headlamps used on the then-new closed cars,
introduced in the fall of 1914. (While the Sedan and Coupelet were introduced in
1914, they are considered to be 1915 cars and are not a part of this coverage.)
The Touring and Runabouts continued in the 1914 pattern until about February
1915, when the 1915 style began to be produced at the Highland Park plant.

It is believed that all 1914-style open cars used gas headlamps but it is
quite possible the later ones came with electric lamps. In a letter to the
branches, dated January 12, 1915, Ford noted that they were no longer supplying
the gas lamp tube on the radiators as all cars now have electric
lights. (A tube, part number T-4052X, was listed for use when the new
radiator was used to replace the older type on a gas-lamp car.) Yet it was not
until February 1915 that the 1915 style car bodies were being shipped to the
branches. Therefore, one would think that 1914 bodies built until about March or
April came with electric lights. On the other hand, we have seen a number of
pictures of 1915-style Tourings (old pictures of seemingly original cars) with
gas lamps. Ford never admitted to using gas lamps on a 1915 and it
is possible that owners, unhappy with the poor electric lights, replaced them
with the older gas type.

All 1914-style cars used the new chassis frame with the longer rear
cross-member. The date of the change from the old frame with the forged body
brackets is not known for certain but evidence would indicate the new chassis
appeared about May, 1913. A letter to the Ford branches notes that the longer
rear member began to be used after 114,000 1913 cars. Ford, in other
records, indicates that 1913 production began with 157,425 on
October 1, 1912. Adding the 114,000 to this number puts it at 271,425 and the
engine bearing that number was built on May 16, 1913. No doubt both the old and
the new frames were used in production until the older style were used up.

1914 is commonly believed to have been the first year of the any color
as long as its black policy. Parts Lists all indicate wheels were
blue but this may have been an oversight on the part of the people
who made up the lists. To add even more to the confusion, though, the following
list of paints was published on December 2, 1913, well into the 1914
model year:

F-101

1763

1st coat plastic black japan

Fenders and shields

F-102

1001

2nd coat black japan

Fenders and shields

F-103

258

1st coat blue dipping

Hoods and rear axles

F-104

1355

2nd coat quick drying black

Rear axles

F-105

40

1st coat brushing black japan

Front axles

F-106

459

2nd coat brushing black japan

Front axles

F-107

450

Blue black baking

Coil box

F-108

1843

1st coat black wheel surfacer

Wheels

F-109

260

2nd coat blue color varnish

Wheels

F-110

417

2nd coat black brushing

Frame

F-111

488

1st coat red baking body primer

Body

F-112

66

Black glaze putty, 2nd operation

Body

F-113

948

2nd coat blue ground

Body

F-114

619

Solid rubbing body blue

Repairs only

F-115

480

3rd & 4th coat blue color varnish

Body

F-116

908

5th coat black striping color

Not used regularly

F-117

1435

Fine French Gray deep striping

Wheels

F-118

1761

Oil proof steel blue

Painting machines

F-119

896

Black engine dipping

Crankcases

Still further confusion presents itself. In a letter dated March 22, 1917,
Ford said, As we expect to paint all bodies black by April 15th, we ask
that you kindly give us an inventory of all the F-113 (blue body paint) you now
have on hand, and that you do not requisition any more of this material beyond
your needs to April 15th. This letter was mailed to Ford assembly plants
and would seem to indicate that there were some blue cars as late as 1917!

To add to the confusion, another letter, dated February 20, 1919, addressed
to the branches, said, As closed bodies are now being painted black,
instead of green as heretofore, also carmine striped, it becomes imperative that
the branches prepare to repair bodies when needed according to the new color. It
is necessary that someone in your paint shop, accustomed to the method of
striping, be assigned to this work, as this section of body painting is
something new for branches to contend with. Striping pencils and carmine paint
for striping will be furnished you for this purpose upon request for same.

In the same letter, Ford goes on with New paint specifications. . .
These are being sent you at this time and comprise the change in sedan, coupe,
touring car and torpedo body painting, according to the latest information. You
will note the change in the Symbol number of paint used in painting closed
bodies, as well as that for the touring car and torpedo bodies, and wheel paint,
as called to your attention in our general letter of the 11th and 12th. F-165
and F-166 will be held for repairs only on closed bodies which were formerly
painted green.

There is no indication of just when formerly painted green was.
There were, of course, no closed bodies in the 1914 line of Fords, but the 1915
Sedan and Coupelet appeared in October 1914. Were these green? Blue? The author
has seen very few closed cars of the 1915 to 1919 era, and all have been black.
Just a little more confusion to add to the enigmatic Model T story.

Upholstering was all leatherette except for the front roll of the arm rests.
There seems to be some evidence of the seat bottom cushions being supplied in
full leather during this period, so either type of bottom cushion might be
correct. The seat backs were made in three main sections; the two sides and a
separate back. Pictures of Ford assembly lines during the upholstery
installation will confirm that the upholstery was not all one piece.

The doors were also covered with leatherette, with tacked-in-place trim
strips. There were two major changes in design here, beside the rounded doors.
The 1913 cars used a separate metal trim strip along the tops of the doors,
while the 1914 (and later) bodies were made with the body metal folded over to
cover the edge. The door handles, which extended up through the top edge in 1913
bodies, now were inside the doors.

The transmission cover was of aluminum, as in previous models. During 1913
reinforcing ribs were added around the bolt holes at the front corners. The
actual date of this change is unknown. We have seen later 1914 cars with the
non-reinforced cover. The typical inspection door during this period was a flat
piece of steel with no Ford or other markings.

The original exhaust pipe was made with gentle bends so that the pipe cleared
everything and was easy to install, unlike the replacements found today.

At least three carburetors were used during 1914 production; perhaps more.
The first cars used either the Kingston Y four ball or the Holley
S two screw. The Kingston continued through 1914 but the Holley was
replaced with the model G of similar design but now with three
screws to hold its top plate. It is quite possible that the so-called
1915 Holley G (similar to the 1914 model G but with a
different air intake horn) and the new Kingston model L appeared on
some of the later 1914s.

Head, side and tail lamps continued the styles and models used in 1913 with
few changes. Corcoran, one of the minor suppliers in 1913, was apparently
dropped, leaving E&J, Brown, and Victor as the manufacturers used in 1914.
In later production some of the side lamps were supplied with integral mounting
brackets, eliminating the need for the separate brackets, and resulting in lower
manufacturing costs for Ford.